Whether it was created during the French invasions, or within the kitchen of a Benedictine monastery, one thing is for sure - "Chanfana" is a matter of shepherds, serranias, wedding parties and centennial folk wisdom.
As an integral and inseparable part of the traditional gastronomy and the culture of the "Serra da Lousã" Region, it has gained recognition of an extraordinary gastronomic specialty.
It’s secrets have been kept through the centuries - Goat meat, sheep meat, simple seasoning, clay pots and endless hours cooking in a wood-fired oven allow it to develop the aromas and a textures that make this dish unique and unforgettable.
The creation and slaughter of the pig are intertwined with the ancestral culture of the lands of Serra da Lousã. The memories are landscapes that the “ancient people” described, the parties and the fairs, the celebration of the traditional Saints, the feasts filled with delicious smells and tastes, are now almost unrepeatable. Pork Cheeks, those little slices of meat, delicious and succulent are supreme moments of pleasure, cooked slowly by the fire for hours on end, developing rich flavors and textures, until they dissolve in the mouth. Time and patience play its part in this process.
While the shepherd walked the hills shepherding his flock of sheep and goats, at home the woman was fattening a pig, which was determinant in what the family had to eat for much of the year. In a night of feast, the loin would be prepared in a clay tray, resting on a bed of sliced onions and seasoned with fresh herbs from the mountain. When it was almost ready, the pastor would “sign” the dish with some slices of cheese produced from his herd’s milk.
Stuffed pork stomach is a delicacy of the traditional cuisine rooted in the interior of the Beiras Region, where for centuries the pork was the centerpiece in the diet of the people who worked the fields. It is delicately stuffed with selected pork meat, rice, Beirã charcuterie, aromatic spices and herbs from the mountains. The golden hues of its outside are lightly darkened by the oven. Its crispy skin protects all flavors and aromas which characterize the knowledge of the Beira Region and the history of its people.
